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What is a Scissor Lift Safety Inspection?

A scissor lift safety inspection is a pre-use and maintenance procedure done to ensure the safety and reliability of scissor lifts.The inspection involves doing a visual assessment of the scissor lift and evaluation of its operating condition. Performing regular scissor lift safety inspections reduces the likelihood of severe injuries and fatalities.

3 Things to Consider During Scissor Lift Inspections

In an OSHA study on the safe use of scissor lifts, it was concluded that most injuries and fatalities involving scissor lifts are due to employers not addressing the following:

Fall Protection
Workers using scissor lifts are at risk of falls. This can be caused by either machine failure, or lack of equipment and fall protection training for responsible workers operating the lift. According to 29 CFR 1926.451 (g) and 29 CFR 1910.29(a)(3)(vii), OSHA requires scissor lifts to have guardrails installed to prevent injuries and accidents caused by falls. Additionally, all workers involved in using the lift should undergo proper training on proper use and fall protection to prevent accidents or injuries.

StabilizationStabilization is essential for safety as unstable scissor lifts are prone to tipping over and collapsing. To avoid this, safe work practices must be maintained. These include the following:

Isolating scissor lift from traffic or other moving worksite equipment to prevent impact

Ensuring work location is on a firm, level surface away from hazards

Ensuring weight on the work platform does not exceed the manufacturer’s load rating

Positioning
It is critical for workers and employers to observe proper positioning when using scissor lifts to avoid being crushed or electrocuted. Scissor safety workers should follow the set safety systems such as traffic control measures and ground guides. They should also ensure that they have received the required training for the tasks at hand, including relevant electrical training in accordance with the 29 CFR 1910.269, 29 CFR 1910.333, and 29 CFR 1926 Subpart V. For continued safety and to limit the occurrence of hazards, workers should be watchful of the following:

Operating a scissor lift near a fixed object

Operating closely with a moving vehicle

Passing below fixed objects like door frames and support beams

3 Tips to Effectively Implement Scissor Lift Safety

Conduct regular inspections
Regularly performing inspections help ensure that scissor lifts are in tip-top and safe condition for use. One of the inspections workers should perform regularly is the pre-use or pre-operational inspection. A pre-use check or pre-operational inspection is done to ensure that there is no visible damage to the scissor lift before use. This is done through a walk around inspection format. The areas and items to inspect will depend on the manufacturer’s operation and manual which is why it is important for workers to always refer to it. But most commonly the inspection will involve checking the following:

All components have no missing parts, securely fastened, no visible damage or excessive wear

Outriggers, switches and locking pins

Tires and rollers

Ground controls and switches

Platform housekeeping

In the event of discovering damage or discrepancy, the scissor lift should be marked and removed from service and reported to proper personnel.

Regularly maintain scissor lifts
Performing regular maintenance on scissor lifts helps sustain good operational condition of scissor lifts. It reduces the likelihood of mechanical failures, injuries, and operational downtime. To do this, workers should again review the manufacturer’s manual to know the proper maintenance procedures appropriate for the scissor lift. Maintenance will generally include how to:

Test and inspect controls and components

Ensure that guardrail systems are in good condition

Verify brakes work and will hold the scissor lift position

Train workers properly
Employers must ensure that workers are trained on hazards and proper operation of scissor lifts in accordance with OSHA standards (29 CFR 1926.454.) Required trainings will include:

Manufacturer’s instructions for operating scissor lift

How to handle materials on the scissor lift and being aware of weight limits

Worksite hazards workers may encounter when working on a scissor lift (e.g., contact with electrical wires) and how to avoid them

How to report defects or discrepancies

What is iAuditor and How Can It Help Scissor Lift Safety Inspections?

Spend less time completing inspections without compromising quality and safety. Replace paper inspection forms with a digital checklist that can help workers perform inspection tasks efficiently and enables them to provide proper documentation of the inspection procedure which is essential for accountability and monitoring scissor lift performance.

With iAuditor, inspections are just the beginning. Equip your maintenance team with a mobile inspection tool that lets you:

Immediately report damages or discrepancies you encounter during inspection with Actions.

Provide comprehensive documentation of inspections by taking or attaching photo evidences, and add in appropriate annotations and comments.

Generate reports as you complete them and instantly share with respective personnels.

Keep all your reports secure in one place. Inspection reports are saved and secured in your account for you to access whenever you need them.

Get an instant view of what’s happening with data analytics. Easily track and monitor inspections across all sites.

Feautured Scissor Lift Safety Inspection Checklists

Scissor Lift Safety Checklist

Use this scissor lift safety checklist to ensure scissor lift is in good working condition. This checklist assesses: 1) operating and emergency controls; 2) safety devices; 3) personal protective devices; and more. Download and customize the checklist according to the manufacturer’s manual of your scissor lift.

Scissor Lift Safety / Platform Inspection Checklist

Use this scissor lift platform inspection checklist to ensure equipment is fit for operations. This checklist serves as an inspection guide but should not be used to replace the manufacturer’s manual. You can download and customize this checklist according to the manufacturer’s operational manual.

Jai Andales

SafetyCulture staff writer

Jai is a content writer for SafetyCulture based in Manila. She has been writing well-researched articles about health and safety topics since 2018. She is passionate about empowering businesses to utilize technology in building a culture of safety and quality.